No child in the UK should go hungry

[Streetwalker]

or you have to learn by making mistakes.

And you learn by being hungry . Next month you manage what you have a bit better .

We have all been there ,most of us feed the kids first though

[Sheepy]

On the other Brightside the other branch of the Westminster party, have been told in no uncertain terms they can do one, being the Libdums

[Javert]

Cash in hand is not the answer. Food vouchers or meals might be.

It's interesting to see that some of the more right wing posters here are saying that food vouchers should be the answer.  As far as I recall, wasn't it the right wing governments and IDS etc who insisted that giving our vouchers and paying people's rent on their behalf would infantilise them and encourage them to benefits dependency.  Therefore we must give them cash and expect them to manage it.  That seemed to be a bedrock of some of the recent reforms. 

What I always thought was that this certainly makes some sense, but what it ignores is that managing household budgets, planning a budget over a week or a month or year, is not "common sense" that everyone is born with - it's something you are either taught by parents or others, or you have to learn by making mistakes. 

[Javert]

Talk about fail. No, from the  amount of news flashes you are giving out, I meant your extensive knowledge of troubled childhood and parents who "don't care". It's almost like you were there, Javert.

I suspect we've been around this loop before, but why must someone have lived experience of something in order to want to to something about it?

Certainly they would have to listen and delve into the details rather than making assumptions.

Even so, in the same way that if  I went to hospital with a heart attack, I wouldn't insist that the I could only be treated by a doctor who had already had several heart attacks, I don't think it's always the case that someone who wants to help solve issues has to have lived through them.

[Sheepy]

Seems to be an England only problem sheep.

Does make me laugh though listening to labour on the subject........it was only a number of years back in the scottish parliament we had a big debate on free school meals in scotland and the then labour brnach manager and her party voted against providing free school meals.

Now they are the cheerleaders of the policy and bandwagon jumpers on the subject.

We all know where the tories stand on this subject..........you either agree with them or disagree.

...but let no one be in any doubt of the labour parties duplicity on the subject of poverty and mealy mouthed words on the subject.

Well on the Brightside for you thomas, nobody takes a blind bit of notice of any old guff the Labour party spout. The conservatives being the other side of the Westminster party, are fast joining them.

[Thomas]

All is well Boris is set to announce, he has misjudged public opinion and you can have an extra carrot on your Christmas dinner, in the meantime, you can eat those Jordon trainers you stole yesterday.

Seems to be an England only problem sheep.

Does make me laugh though listening to labour on the subject........it was only a number of years back in the scottish parliament we had a big debate on free school meals in scotland and the then labour brnach manager and her party voted against providing free school meals.

Now they are the cheerleaders of the policy and bandwagon jumpers on the subject.

We all know where the tories stand on this subject..........you either agree with them or disagree.

...but let no one be in any doubt of the labour parties duplicity on the subject of poverty and mealy mouthed words on the subject.

I expected this proposal, which clearly benefits Scotland's children and was supported by the EIS teaching union and prominent charities Shelter Scotland and Children 1st, to have the full support of the entire Parliament.

However, Labour MSPs, including Glasgow representative and Labour leader Johann Lamont, voted against providing free school meals to children. Surely arguing against free school meals goes against what many Labour MSPs believe is right, and the public is rightly disgusted

[Sheepy]

All is well Boris is set to announce, he has misjudged public opinion and you can have an extra carrot on your Christmas dinner, in the meantime, you can eat those Jordon trainers you stole yesterday.

[Nick]

Have seen first hand parents? Receive benefits buy cheapest loaf possible some axle grease (aka cheap margarine) and a couple of bags of chips for their brood.......oh and a few cases of booze and cartons of fags.
That isn't to say there aren't genuine honest cases of hardship,this whole issue runs much deeper and it would be unfair for the sins of the fathers (and mothers) to be visited on the heads of their kids

it would be unfair for the sins of the fathers (and mothers) to be visited on the heads of their kids

Absolutely, but as a fiscal government how do you get the funding to the children? It's like sending money to Uganda in the 70's, the Butcher took his 90% and then issued the 10% to his grateful subjects.
It's too easy these days for people to say they are doing crap and it's all the governments fault, where is the spirit within these people to say, actually I'm going to improve my lot? I'd go out and snare rabbits, make a catapult and shot pigeons before my lot went hungry. I'd eat next doors cat if I had to but I wouldn't be smoking, drinking, have the latest iPhone or be watching SKY TV that's for sure.

Read some of the books by Jennifer Worth about her time in the East End as a midwife during the 50's, that was hardship. Not this choice malarkey: 6 cans of Keatrel, new iPhone or feed the kids. Generalisation of course, but not far off.

[patman post]

I don't see why the government is digging its heels in. Right or wrong, it has spent telephone numbers on the furlough scheme, why worry about a few plates of shepherd's pie with rhubarb and custard to follow?

Either Boris has lost his grip or he reckons that the electorate is running out of guilt.

So right. The guy's lost the initiative — the govt's distributing billions around the place to local authorities — but  it's now too late to claim that some of this is for free meals during school holidays.

Like all these do-goody things, it's mostly about perception. Marcus Rashford has sparked interest, and many different organisations are answering the call.

The govt could have embraced the idea with something like matching local efforts pound-for-pound and won a round of applause without it  costing one penny extra.

Instead they look flat footed and dictatorial, and have an uphill battle to regain respect...

[DeppityDawg]

I hear Marks & Spencers are getting in on the middle class self loathing business. They're releasing a new flavour of "thrice cooked crisps" to help the privileged show solidarity with the unwashed poor. 5p on every bag goes to help feed starving children in towns they've never heard of. Like Mansfield and Selby

They are called "Own brand spaghetti hoops and stale bread" flavour 

[Sheepy]

Well thats done it, the local Tory MP has been banned from one of the pubs, for fighting like feck and scratching some other love rivals eyes out, yeah right she has been banned for voting against making sure kids are fed and for being against the spirit of Hastings, well also it is rumoured if she ramped up she would be strung up.

[Borchester]

I don't see why the government is digging its heels in. Right or wrong, it has spent telephone numbers on the furlough scheme, why worry about a few plates of shepherd's pie with rhubarb and custard to follow?

Either Boris has lost his grip or he reckons that the electorate is running out of guilt.

[DeppityDawg]

It's quite funny watching Lord Fauntleroy and "concerned of Tunbridge Wells'" discuss child poverty. It's almost like a reproduction of Oliver Twist. You have to pick a pocket or two, boy...you have to pick a pocket or two. Up that chimney, you urchin. Feck sake.

[T00ts]

Brilliant. Take your wallet out into the street and have it ready for any deserving cases that pass by. I'm sure there are thousands of starving kids in your deprived area could do with a few bob.

Cash in hand is not the answer. Food vouchers or meals might be.

[Borchester]

Brilliant. Take your wallet out into the street and have it ready for any deserving cases that pass by. I'm sure there are thousands of starving kids in your deprived area could do with a few bob.

Let us not go over the top. I was rather thinking of handing out kindly smiles but keeping my wallet firmly shut.